A military plane crashed on a failed landing approach in the south of the Philippines on Sunday. Some inmates could be saved.
Manila – the C-130 aircraft had 80 occupants on board when it happened: the military aircraft missed the runway when landing in Patikul on the island of Jolo, the military spokesman Cirilito Sobejana reported according to dpa on Sunday. When trying to start again, she crashed.
At least 40 soldiers survived the accident in the south of the country. “We are doing our best to save the passengers,” emphasized Sobejana. As the country’s defense minister announced on Sunday, 17 soldiers were killed in the accident.
Philippines: Military plane crashes with 85 passengers – 40 survivors
The machine was reportedly started in the capital Manila and then on its way to Jolo via Cagayan de Oro on the island of Mindanao. According to afp information, many of the soldiers on board had recently completed their basic training and should now be stationed on the island. The island is located in the Muslim south of the Philippines, where the army is deployed against the Islamist group Abu Sayyaf, among others.
Abu Sayyaf was founded in the 1990s with money from Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The group was particularly well known for the kidnapping of numerous foreigners. (dpa / vs)
